Transgender campaigners force Science Museum to alter display
THE Science Museum in London is set to change its “Boy or Girl” display following complaints over its lack of transgender coverage.
Curators will alter its gallery on human biology in order to update the “non-inclusive narrative”, according to internal documents.
There are plans to make alterations to the exhibit which asks “how are boys and girls different?”
The museum has confirmed that work has begun to review the exhibit which covers subjects including hormones and chromosomes. It has stated that all such assessments “take into account new scientific and curatorial research and visitor feedback”.
It is understood the UK’S Museum of Transology is to be consulted in relation to the Boy or Girl exhibit.
The display, criticised over its lack of trangender coverage, already makes mention of topical issues relating to gender, including feelings of being “born in the wrong body” and how these are addressed.
The Boy or Girl cabinet currently holds a fake penis, worn under clothing to provide a male appearance, as well as a compression vest to flatten the chest. Testosterone patches worn to make bodily changes are also displayed.
It also includes an information panel which states that “sex usually refers to someone’s biological characteristics”, whereas “gender is more difficult to define”. It adds: “Your gender identity is our sense of yourself as male or female, or, for some people neither or both. It may not match your biological sex.”
Plans to make changes to the display have been criticised by Maya Forstater, executive director of campaign group Sex Matters.
Ms Forstater, who won an employment tribunal relating to her “genderc-ritical” views, said: “The Science Museum should reflect biology.
“Sexual reproduction evolved over one billion years ago and it has not changed in recent years.
“It is the reproductive strategy of all higher animals and plants, including humans.
“Helping visitors of all ages to understand this is core to what the Science Museum should be doing.
“It is concerning that a place dedicated to science is being swayed by cultural trends in this way.”
Boy or Girl had previously been altered to remove a sign which stated “your X and Y chromosomes define your biological sex” following complaints in 2016.
The museum has confirmed that work is currently underway behind the scenes to review the display in its Who Am I? gallery, but no physical alterations have yet been made.
A spokesman said the gallery is updated “on a rolling basis, where resource allows, to reflect areas where there has been fresh research or a shift in scientific consensus”.